Florida could still see West Nile Virus in cooler months

4:08 p.m. EST, September 10, 2012|By Sarah Khan

West Nile Virus has hit the nation hard this summer, with nearly 2,000 cases to date. While parts of the country can relax as cooler months set in, local health department officials say Floridians are still not in the clear.Twenty-eight cases of the virus have been reported in Florida so far this year, more than twice the number for all of last year. Although Central Florida has not seen any cases this year, the mosquito that carries the virus can be found all over Florida into fall and winter, said Sarah Matthews, epidemiologist with the Orange County Health Department. “Even though [cases] peak between July and September, we ignore that in Florida because we have great mosquito-breeding temperatures all-year round,” Matthews said.Methods to protect from the virus are the same for avoiding all mosquito bites, Matthews said. They include wearing long-sleeved clothing outdoors, draining pools of standing water and wearing insect repellent while outside.County health departments test for the presence of the virus year-round, using blood drawn from sentinel chickens throughout the state, Matthews said. Residents also can report dead birds in their area for testing.Nearly 80 percent of humans with the virus do not exhibit symptoms, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But some residents could suffer from prolonged high fever, headaches, nausea and skin rashes. Sickness can last for several weeks in some, and severe cases without hospitalization increase the risk of neurological damage.There are no specific treatments for the virus as the symptoms are commonly seen in other illnesses.The nationwide outbreak is most severe in Texas, which has about 40 percent of U.S. cases. Matthews said milder winters in some parts of the country could have contributed to the spike in cases, but that it is impossible to determine a single natural event as the cause.sakhan@orlandosentinel.com or 407-420-5433